CHAPTER XVIII
OTHER BRANCHES OF THE WORK

BUT turning back again now from the all-important
work among the dead to the consideration of the
work among the living, we must briefly indicate a.
great branch of it, without a notice of which our
account of the labours of our invisible helpers would-
indeed be incomplete, and that is the immense
amount which is done by suggestion—by simply
patting good thoughts into the minds of those who
are ready to receive them.

Let there be no mistake as to what is meant here.
It would be perfectly easy—easy to a degree which
would be quite incredible to those who do not
understand the subject practically—for a helper
to dominate the mind of any average man, and
make him think just as he pleased, and that without
arousing the faintest suspicion of any outside in-
fluence in the' mind of the subject. But, however
admirable the result might be, such a proceeding
would be inadmissible. All that may be done is to